


Skeletons Are Fine (Your Closet or Mine)

by 15Acesplz



Series: Courfius Week 2018 [5]
Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-17
Updated: 2018-05-17
Packaged: 2019-05-08 02:56:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14685006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/15Acesplz/pseuds/15Acesplz
Summary: “Marius,” Courfeyrac called, kicking his shoes off and walking to the kitchen, plastic bag hanging from his arm, “I bought us a roll of cookie dough –”He clammed up the moment he stepped into the kitchen. Marius was standing in the middle of the room, phone against his ear, his back to Courfeyrac. Courfeyrac could see the tension in his shoulders.





	Skeletons Are Fine (Your Closet or Mine)

**Author's Note:**

> Please take a look at the tags before reading!

“Marius,” Courfeyrac called, kicking his shoes off and walking to the kitchen, plastic bag hanging from his arm, “I bought us a roll of cookie dough –”

He clammed up the moment he stepped into the kitchen. Marius was standing in the middle of the room, phone against his ear, his back to Courfeyrac. Courfeyrac could see the tension in his shoulders.

“Alright,” he was saying. “Yes, I’ll come. Tuesday? Alright. Goodbye.” He hung up the phone.

Courfeyrac was wondering the least disruptive way to announce his presence when Marius sighed and turned his head.

“Hey, Courf,” he said wearily. He must have heard him come in.

“Hey. Who was that?” Courfeyrac walked over to the refrigerator with his bag of groceries.

“My aunt,” Marius said. He exhaled shakily, and then added, “My grandfather is dead.”

Courfeyrac fumbled the block of cheese he was holding. “Shit, man.” He turned to face Marius, letting the refrigerator door swing shut behind him. “Are you okay?”

Marius’s expression was impassive, but he looked drained of color and his hands were fidgety and trembling. “I’m…” He nodded mechanically.

Courfeyrac didn’t contradict him out loud. He abandoned the groceries on the kitchen floor and shepherded Marius to the other room to sit on the sofa. Marius let himself be led, and let Courfeyrac take the seat beside him and clasp his shaking hands.

They were both silent for a moment. “That’s some big news,” Courfeyrac said eventually.

Marius gave a hollow laugh. “Yeah. Big news.” He drew in a breath, and then suddenly he was talking. “I’m relieved.” He said it like he was just realizing it. “I feel awful saying it, but I am. I feel relieved. What kind of horrible person feels –? But it isn’t like I’m happy about it. I’m not, I’m just… relieved and sad all at once. I feel bad for being relieved but I don’t know why I should be sad. I didn’t even love him – except that I did. Even after everything I still did.”

Courfeyrac bit his lip. He didn’t know what to say; Marius’s palms were clammy against his. He had heard enough about Marius’s childhood to know that it had been anything but happy. ‘Abuse’ was never a word that Marius used when talking about his grandfather, but that was what it sounded like to Courfeyrac.

“I don’t understand it,” Marius said quietly, and his breath hitched. His eyes shone wetly.

Courfeyrac dropped his hands and gathered him into a hug. “You are not a horrible person,” he said firmly. “And you can feel more than one thing at the same time.”

“I know.” Courfeyrac felt Marius lift his hand to wipe at his eyes. He sniffed. “I know, I just… Why?”

Courfeyrac knew he was talking about more than just how he was feeling. He didn’t have a sufficient answer. He hugged Marius tighter, and Marius seemed to finally let himself break down.

He didn’t cry for long. After a few minutes the shuddering sobs subsided, and he let go of Courfeyrac and pulled back, wiping his eyes again. His face was red and blotchy and he was still sniffling a bit, but he looked calm.

“I bought cookie dough,” Courfeyrac said again. “We can put on a movie and eat it straight out of the package.”

Marius cracked a smile. “And you can give yourself a stomach ache like you always do.”

Courfeyrac smiled, squeezed his shoulder, and got up to get the cookie dough.

**Author's Note:**

> This was rough to write, I do not like writing angst. It wanted to happen though, so -shrug-   
> Title is from Small World by Ani DiFranco.


End file.
